Wiper blade connector



July 31, 1956 I. NESSON 2,756,454

WIPER BLADE CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 24. 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ill July 31, 1956 l. NESSON 2,756,454

WIPER BLADE CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 24, 1953 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 as I 655 Iawezzor y 31, 1956 1. NESSQN 2,756,454

WIPER BLADE CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 24, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 um-m...

lIIIIIIIIIIIl'I 1220885208 Ilsa Nessom, by J 4- uqiios' izgys United States Patent WIPER BLADE CONNECTOR Israel N esson, Lynn, Mass., assignor to Max Zaiger, Swampscott, Mass.

Application December 24, 1953, Serial No. 400,296

8 Claims. (Cl. 15-250) This invention relates to wiper blade connectors, and pertains more particularly to improvements in a clip or connector carried by a windshield wiper blade for separably attaching the blade to wiper arms having end portions of varying standard types. The subject matter of this application is a further developement of the universal type connector disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 260,705, filed December 8, 1951, now Patent No. 2,709,825.

The principal purpose of the present invention is to provide a connector which is capable of accommodating the four common types of arm ends, and which incorporates a manually movable locking member for holding a spring in operative position to retain two types of arm ends, until the locking member is manually released.

Another object is to utilize a latch member to secure in operative position a hook plate employed to connect a third type of arm end to the clip.

As explained in my said pending application, the four common types of arm ends are: the spoon type, the crossbar type, the slotted-terminal type and the hook type. Although the connectors shown in that application and in the present application are designed to accommodate all four types, the improved locking means herein disclosed are utilized only in the attachment and release of the cross-bar type and spoon type arm ends, and of the hook plate for the slotted-terminal arm end. The hook type arm end does not require latching or locking means to hold it in place in the clip.

Additional features and advantages of the improved locking means of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the recommended embodiments shown in the accompanying drawing, and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

It will be understood, however, that the structural details of the devices herein illustrated and described may be varied without departing from the essence of this invention, as set forth in said claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a wiper blade equipped with the improved connector or clip, to which a hook plate is attached; 1

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the clip and blade of Fig. 1, showing a spoon type arm end locked in the clip;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, with the hook plate removed, showing the locking member in inopeartive position to permit insertion or removal of the spoon type end;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail end view of the removable hook plate shown in Figs. 1-4;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showmg the hook plate removed and a cross-bar type arm end attached to the connector with the movable parts in locking position;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 with the parts 1n Imlooking position to permit insertion or removal of the arm end;

2,756,454 Patented July 31, 1956 Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, with the arm end removed, showing the application of the hook plate while the connector parts are in unlocking position;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section on line 9-9 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a blank from which the latch member of Figs. 1 to 8 is formed;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the formed latch member;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified form of hook plate; and

Figs. 13 and 14 are side and end views, respectively, of the modified hook plate.

In the particular embodiments chosen for the purpose of illustration the body of the connector or clip has base portions 11 and 12 mounted, as by crimped end tongues 13 and 14, upon the holder or shell 15 of a wiper blade having a rubber wiper strip 16. The structural details of the holder and wiper strip are not material to this invention, and may be of any desired form. Optionally, the improved connector may be mounted on a yoke or saddle member carried by the blade, as shown for example in Zaiger Patent No. 2,276,556, dated March 17, 1942.

The clip has substantially parallel sides 17 upstanding from the base portions 11, 12. Said sides have upward extensions 18 adjacent one end of the clip, and upward extensions 19 near the opposite end of the clip; said extensions defining opposed recesses 20 in each side of the clip. The side extensions 18 have inwardly directed top flanges 21, the opposed ends of which are spaced to provide a narrow slot for receiving a portion of the removable hook plate 22, herein-after described. The side extensions 19 also have inwardly directed top flanges 23, the opposed ends of which are similarly spaced to provide a narrow slot for receiving another portion of said hook plate.

The upstanding side portions 19 are further provided with inwardly directed fingers 24, the end portions of which are disposed in spaced parallel relation, to form another space for receiving the bottom portion of said hook plate. The fingers 24 are disposed approximately midway between the planes of the clip sides 17 and overhang an open space into which the cross pin or bar of a cross bar type arm end may be inserted as described in connection with Figs. 6 and 7; said fingers constituting part of the means for locking said cross pin to the connector.

The clip body as thus described is essentially similar to the clip body disclosed in my aforesaid application, Serial No. 260,705. The removable hook plate 22 shown in Figs. 1 to 11 is also generally similar in nature and purpose to that described in my said application. It consists of a flat piece of metal having a hook 25 at one upper corner, edge portions 26 and 27 meeting substantially at right angles (Fig. 8) and forming shoulders or abutments at the lower corner beneath the hook portion 25, a transversely bent tongue or tab 28 projecting laterally from the bottom of the plate substantially midway between its ends, and a transversely bent tab 29 projecting in the same direction from the top of the plate at the end opposite the hook 25. When the hook plate is pressed downwardly against the spring-pressed latch member to be described, into the slots between the flanges 21, fingers 24, and flanges 23, tongue 28 hooks under said fingers 24, and tab 29 engages the tops of flanges 23, as best indicated in Fig. 8. The plate is releasably held in place by the latch member and by the abutment of tongue 28 against a shoulder 30 disposed beneath one of said fingers at the front of one of the side extensions 19.

The inserted hook plate 22 is releasably held in place by a spring actuated latch member 31, having a transverse end bar 32 which engages against the downwardly projecting shoulder 27 of the plate (Fig. 2). The cross piece of a slotted-end type Wiper arm (not shown) is engageable beneath the hook 25, as explained in my said pending application, to attach that type of arm to the wiper blade.

The latch member 31 may be made of a blank (Fig.

10) of sheet metal bent upon itself (Fig. l1) to provide spaced parallel sides 33 and the transversely bent'end bar or bridge 32 opposite the integral curved end 34, as best shown in Fig. 11. The sides of the formed latch have upstanding, rounded shoulders 35 and depending tongues 36 adjacent the end carrying bridge 32; and the bottom of said sides have opposed complemental notches 37. The latch member fits between thesides of the clip body, and the notches 37 receive a pivot pin 38 mounted transversely between the clip sides 17. When the latch is so pivoted in the connector, the tops of the clip sides and the inner edges of the upstanding shoulders 35 cooperate with the bottom of the finger 24 and the shoulders 3 of the clip body extensions 19, to form an enclosure for pivotally receiving and retaining the pin 39 of the crossbar type of arm end (Fig. 6).

The latch shoulders 35 are resiliently held in such locking position by a leaf spring 4t) which is received within the clip body and has a rearwardly'defiected end portion 41 hearing against the depending tongues 36 of the latch. The opposite end of the spring is coiled about a cross-pin 42, to hold it against longitudinal movement. Pin 42 is fixed between the clip-sides 17. The central portion of spring 49 is slightly bowed upwardly and serves as a resilient retainer for holding the stud 43; of an inserted spoon type arm end 44- locked behind the pivot pin 38 on which latch member 31 rocks (Fig. 2), thereby connecta ing that type of wiper arm to the clip, until the bowed portion of spring 40 is depressed'to permit the stud 43 to slide under pin 38 (Fig. 3).

Depression of said bowed portion of the spring and depression of the spring end 40 (to permit unlocking of latch member 31), are normally prevented by a sliding lock member 45. This lock consists of a metal plate which is slidable over the base 11 of the clip between its sides, and which has an indented button 46 selectively engageable on opposite sides of a cross bar 47 forming part of said clip base. The lock plate 45 also has a downwardly shouldered inner end 48 which cooperates with the cross bar 47 to limit outward sliding movement of the plate to its unlocking position (Figs. 3 and 7). Said inner end of the plate has transverse extensions 49 pro- 4 I which the slotted-terminal type arm end is attachable. With the lock plate pulled out to unlocking position, the spoon end 44 is inserted or released by manual pressure, as aforesaid; the pin 39 of the cross bar arm is inserted or released by pressing it against the rounded projections 35 of the latch 31 to rock the latter on the pivot 38, against the resilient pressure of, spring end 41; and the hook plate is inserted by'pressing its hooked end downwardly and to theleft of the figures so that its shoulders 26 and 27 engage the bridge 32 of the latch member and depress the same to allow tongue 28 to hook under one of the fingers 24, as indicated in Fig. 8. The plate is re leased by pressing its hook portion and tilting it to 'free tongue or tab 28.

The modified-and preferred form of hook plate 52, shown in Figs. 12 to 14, differs from the hook plate 22 in that the modified plate is formed with a depending foot 53 which directly engages the spring end 41 when the hook plate is inserted and locked positiontFig; 12); the foot having a toe portion 54 defining a recess 55 which receives the bridge 32 of the latch member. The modified plate has the hook 25, the shoulder portions 26 and 27', the tongue 28' and the tab 29 correspondingrto the complemental portions of the hook plate 22 previously jecting outwardly through slots in the clip sides and providing finger pieces for manually moving the lock from said unlocking position to locking position (Figs. 2 and 6) and vice versa.

The lock plate has upstanding sides at its outer end, the sides of the spring 40 being cut away at its curved portion 51, so that said plate sides 50 may slide between that portion and the clip sides 17, and then underneath the end portion 41 of the spring, when the lock is slid inwardly of the clip. Hence, when moved to locking position, the tops of the plate sides 50 prevent depression of the spring end 41, thereby maintaining the latch 31 in locked position (Figs. 2 and 6); whereas, when the lock plate 45 is moved to unlocking position, the spring end 41 may be depressed to release the hook plate (Fig. 8) or to release the cross-bar type arm end (Fig. 7).

Moreover, when the plate 45 is in locking position, it underlies a part of the central bow of spring 40 (Fig. 2) and limits the distance between the plate and the cross pin 38, so that the spring may not be depressed sufliciently to release the spoon type arm end; whereas, when the plate is in unlocking position (Fig. 3) the bow of the spring may be depressedby pressing the spoon end toward the wiper blade sufiiciently to permit removal or described. Shoulders 26and 27' form two sides of the rectangular recess 55 defined by the toe portion 54 as aforesaid, and said recess affords a positive ,catch'for the bridge of the latch member at the forward end of the hookzplate. V

Hook plate 52 is inserted and'rernoved as described in connection with hook plate'22, the foot 53 depressing the spring end 41, and shoulder 26' depressing the latch member 31 when downward pressure is manually applied to the hook portion 25. The spring and latch cause the tongue 28' to engage under one of the fingers 24 when such manual pressure 'is rele'ased', to'lock the hook plate in the clip. i

I claim:

, 1. A wiper blade clip adapted for connecting the blade to wiper arm ends of the spoon type, cross-bar type or slotted terminal type, the clip comprising abase and upstanding spaced, substantially parallel sides, each having a recess in its top providing complemental edges limiting in'one direction the movement of a cross-bar inserted into said recesses, a latch pivotally mounted between the clip sides and having a top part and an upstanding shoulder respectively adapted to limit'movement of said inserted cross-bar in two other directions, when the-latch is in latching position, the clip sides having a stationary finger overhanging the inserted cross-bar and cooperating with said edges and latch to attach the cross-bar to the clip, the latch being movable to unlatching position, a spring having an end portion engaging saidlatch and yieldingly holding it in latching position, and a locking plate slidable from unlocking to locking position between the sides of the clip and engageable'with said spring to prevent yielding thereof and to lock the latch, when said plate isin locking position. I

2. A clip as described in claim 1, having a cross pin mounted between its sides and serving as a pivot for said latch, said spring having'a depressible portion spaced from said pin, whereby a studded spoon type arm end may be disposed between the pin and spring with'its stud locked behind one side of the pin,.a part of the locking plate underlying a partof said spring .portion when the plate is in locking position, to limit depression of said spring portion and prevent release of said stud from said pin.

3. A clip as described in claiml, the clip sides having inwardly directed flanges, 'a hook plate receivable'between said flanges and having transverse tabs engageable with portions of the clip, the bottom of the hook plate having a shoulder, and said latch having a bridge portion engageable with said shoulder tolock the hook plate in'the clip when the latch is in latching position.

4. A clip as described in claim 1, the clip sides having spaced pairs of inwardly directed flanges at its top portion, a removable hook plate received between said flanges and having transverse tabs engageable with edge portions of the clip, the hook plate having shoulders dispersed substantially at right angles to each other, and said latch having a bridge portion engageable with said shoulders whereby the latch is depressed upon manual insertion of the hook plate and whereby the inserted hook plate is locked in the clip when the latch is in latching position.

5. A clip as described in claim 4, the hook plate having a foot provided with a toe portion, the foot being engageable with the end portion of said spring, and said shoulders and toe portion defining a recess in which said bridge portion is received and locked.

6. A clip as described in claim 1, said locking plate having an upstanding portion engaging the underside of said end portion of the spring and preventing downward movement of said end portion, when the plate is in locking position.

7. A clip as described in claim 1, said spring being bent upon itself adjacent its said end portion to provide a loop, said locking plate having upstanding side portions slidable between the loop of the spring and the sides of the clip and engaging under said end portion of the spring to impede downward movement thereof, when said plate is in locking position, the end portion of the spring being wider than the loop portion thereof.

8. A clip as described in claim 1, said clips having opposed slots therethrough, and said locking plate having finger pieces projecting outwardly through the respective slots, whereby the plate may be manually slid from locking to unlocking position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

